Summer Health Tips
Ayurvedic Summer Guidelines
Summer is here! Summer is a season full of fun-filled outdoor activities. The heat and strong sun of Summer can be intense. Summer is Pitta season. Pitta is made up of the elements fire and water. With the heat and humidity of summer Pitta can easily become imbalanced. This heat can accumulate inside the body and have a drying effect. This internal drying can aggravate Vata. (Vata is made up of Air and Space elements.) If your social calendar is packed with fun summer events or you are traveling that can also increase Vata as well.
In Summertime digestion is weaker and we don’t need nutrient dense foods as we do in fall and winter. Eating what is in season helps to create balance as nature provides us what we need. Summertime fruits and vegetables have been “cooked” in the fields, so they are lighter and easier to digest. These foods naturally pacify Pitta.
The Three Doshas in Summer
If you are primary a Vata or Kapha constitution you will enjoy the beginning of Summer. Vata(s) like the heat as it counters the cold of Vata. Kapha(s) (Earth & Water) like both the heat and dryness as it dries out the excess mucus/congestion that builds during Spring. Due to their fiery nature, Pittas can easily become imbalanced in Summer.
However, all three doshas need to watch for excess heat building in the Summer season.
Signs of Excess Heat in The Body
Over-heating, inflammation, heartburn/reflux, rashes, burning sensations, hot flashes, fevers, loose stools and anger are some signs of excess heat in the body. If you have any of these symptoms you need to pacify Pitta.
Eating Pitta aggravating foods will build heat in the body and can lead to overheating. Avoid spicy, fermented, sour and salty foods. Avoid heavy and hard to digest foods as well. This includes lots of foods we love to eat in the Summer: yogurt, cheese, kombucha, lacto-fermented foods (pickles, sauerkraut, etc.), alcohol and many foods served at summertime cook-outs.
Tips for Staying Cool In Summer
Eat in-season fruits and vegetables. Some great Pitta reducing foods are melons, cucumber, pomegranate, sweet grapes, leafy greens, sweet fruits, apples and beans. Eat foods that are sweet, bitter or astringent tasting.
Avoid competition. Pittas are naturally driven, focused and passionate individuals. Competition will amplify these qualities into judgement, anger and frustration. Meditation helps to pacify Pitta and these qualities.
Limit your exposure to the hot sun, especially mid-day. Exercise early in the morning and in the shade. Cover your head as the head is associated with Pitta.
It may be tempting to skip a meal on a hot day. Instead of skipping a meal eat something light and easy to digest. Skipping a meal can aggravate Pitta and Vata. Pitta is strongest during lunch time so make your lunch your main meal.
Go to bed before 10pm. Pitta is dominant between the hours of 10pm and 2am and 10am to 2pm. If we stay up past 10 pm, Pitta will fire up and we won’t be able to fall asleep. It is during Pitta time that our liver detoxifies and the lymph system drains. If we stay up during Pitta time this doesn’t happen properly. We also need to sleep during this time so our melatonin rises and our cortisol levels drop. Staying up past 10pm will through the natural circadian rhythms off and build toxins in the body.
Walk in moonlight to cool your body.
Wear cotton or other natural fiber clothing as it breathes.
Try spraying yourself with Rose spray or Jasmine oil. They are both great for the skin, refreshing and cooling.
Hydration is key to combat the heat and dryness action of Summer. Coconut water is the perfect summer beverage and sports drink. It has sweet and cooling properties. Coconut water is high in potassium, magnesium and manganese and is nature’s electrolyte replacer. Coconut oil is cooling and prevents the body from drying out. You can eat coconut oil and massage your body with it.
Try cooling pranayama(s) such as Sitali or Sitakari.
Perfect Summer Foods
Coconut water
Coconut oil and ghee.
Cucumbers
Beans
Melons, sweet berries, cherries, grapes, pomegranate, amalaki. Any sweet fruit.
Takra
Aloe juice (fresh, not bottled)
Leafy Greens
Peppermint, hibisicus, sassafras or coriander teas are cooling.
Water with mint or lime.
Amalaki Cooler Recipe
Amalaki (amla) is a fruit that has 40x more vitamin C than oranges and is a powerful antioxidant. It is also cooling and cleansing. You can get powdered amalaki and use it as a refreshing drink. The pink salt in this drink with help replace electrolytes without increasing Pitta.
Ingredients:
Water, lime juice, amalaka powder, Himalayan rock salt, cardamom powder and maple syrup. Makes 4 cups. I like to make this is a quart ball jar.
Directions:
Juice ½ lime into jar
Add 1 tbs of amalaka powder and ½ cup of water.
Seal jar and shake rapidly.
Add 3 tbs of maple syrup, pinch of pink salt and a pinch of cardamom.
Fill jar to top with water.
Shake to mix. Let sit for one hour and strain. Shake before use as contents will settle.
(Amla balances all three doshas but can be quite tart. You may need to add more sweetener to your taste.)